Help
Posted on May 5, 2009 at 7:31 amYou elected represents ask for some on your behalf:
U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and U.S. Reps. Jimmy Duncan, Lincoln Davis, Bart Gordon and John Tanner have joined Gov. Phil Bredesen in requesting that President Barack Obama issue a federal disaster declaration for four counties in Tennessee to help state and local governments recover costs for damages related to recent storms.
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Conservatism Is A Dish Best Served In Opposition
Posted on April 2, 2009 at 10:11 pmDavid Oatney is riled up:
The survivial of our federal republic is more important than putting on some stadium show, speaking rosy words, and drumming up chants of “yes we can.” Winning an election gives no administration, regardless of its political affiliation, a license to destroy the very foundations upon which our forefathers built this country. Conservatives will not allow Mr. Obama, his minions, or his legions to bring this nation to constitutional collapse, and we will use whatever means are necessary to prevent national ruin.
If the Left is afraid that we will not put up with what they are doing to our country and that we will not rest one solitary second until these wicked policies are brought to an end, they have just cause to be very afraid indeed. Every time Mr. Obama so much as opens his mouth, the revolution grows.
We shall never surrender, and we will fight for the right will every fiber of our very beings.
Obama Shift Some Priorities To The Backburner
Posted on at 9:16 pmFrom the Hill:
Even though some congressional Democrats have expressed concern that Obama’s agenda has been too ambitious, the White House has put the brakes on high-profile promises that Obama delivered on the campaign trail.
Some have been more obvious than others. After vowing to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA), Obama in February reassured Canadian leaders that such a move was not high on his priority list, saying he wants “to be very careful about any signals of protectionism.”
The administration official noted that Obama was very vocal in his concerns about NAFTA when he made his comments about the trade pact.
Obama is heading the country amid a historic economic crisis, and he has said that both he and members of Congress will have to make policy sacrifices to fix the ailing economy.
Alexander’s Trying To Prevent China From Telling Us How To Run Our Family
Posted on April 1, 2009 at 4:14 pmFrom the office of the Senior Senator:
“This is the runaway debt limit amendment,” said Alexander, a member of the Senate Budget Committee. “It says 60 senators have to agree before a budget can bring out national debt to more than 90 percent of U.S. gross domestic product – which this budget does every single year.”
“We saw this week the leverage a lender can have over a borrower. The President of the United States fired the president of General Motors. Well, China, Japan, and Middle Eastern oil countries already own $1.4 trillion of U.S. debt. This amendment would prevent China, Japan and the Middle Eastern oil countries from telling America how to run our business in the same way our government is telling General Motors how to run its business.”
The Alexander amendment would have raised a point of order against any budget resolution that estimates a gross federal debt exceeding 90 percent of GDP in any year covered in the budget. The point of order could only be waived by a 60-vote majority of the Senate. According to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, President Obama’s budget begins its first year with a total debt of more than 95 percent of GDP and grows the debt to over 100 percent of GDP in 2017. Gross debt has not exceeded 90% of GDP since 1950, when the United States was recovering from WWII.
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MTSU POLL: One In Six Tennesseans Admit To Telling Racist Jokes About The President
Posted on March 3, 2009 at 11:58 amThe newest poll on state and national issues in Tennessee is out from our friends over at Middle Tennessee State University complete with charts and graphs. Some of the more interesting findings below.
THE LEGISLATURE: “Meanwhile, the proportion of Tennesseans who approve of the state Legislature’s job performance has slid from 39% in the fall to 34%. The last time the Legislature’s approval rating sank this low was in fall 2005 and spring 2006, when Tennesseans were absorbing news of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s “Operation Tennessee Waltz” sting that led to the arrests of several legislators on bribery charges….The best predictor of disapproval is frequent newspaper reading.”
RACIST JOKES: “Nearly one in six Tennesseans has told a joke about Barack Obama’s race, and three-fourths say they’ve heard or read at least one, even though only 15 percent of Tennesseans say they would find such a joke funny.”
IRAQ: “Just over half (53 percent) of Tennesseans say sending troops to Iraq was “a mistake,” while 38 percent say the move was not a mistake, and the rest aren’t sure.”
WINE IN GROCERY STORES: “Sixty-two percent of state residents say grocery stores should be allowed to sell wine, while just over a quarter (26%) disagree, and 12% don’t know.”
BREDESEN: “Gov. Phil Bredesen’s approval rating has slipped to 52%, down from 58% in the fall and well below his tenure’s high of 72% in Spring 2004.”
“Among demographic factors, education makes the biggest difference, with under half (45%) of Tennesseans without a college degree expressing approval of Bredesen compared with nearly two-thirds (64%) of those with a college degree.”
STATE INCOME TAX: When asked to choose between the two statements: “Tennessee should amend its constitution to forbid the state from ever introducing a tax on personal income” and “Tennessee should introduce a tax on personal income to lower sales taxes and eliminate taxes on groceries,” 46% of Tennesseans support constitutionally banning a state income tax, and 40% support introducing a state income tax with cuts in sales and food taxes.
ABORTION: A majority of Tennesseans (52%) say abortion “should be legal under some circumstances, but not others.” Smaller percentages say either that abortion should be illegal under all circumstances (25%) or legal under all circumstances (19%).
OBAMA: Fifty-three percent of Tennesseans say that they approve of how President Barack Obama has done his job so far, and only 27% of Tennesseans disapprove. In the 2008 election, 57% of Tennessee voters cast their ballots for Obama’s Republican rival, John McCain, while only 42% voted for Obama
SEE ALSO:
Sean Braisted
R. Neal
Corker Calls Out Obama On Climate Tax
Posted on February 26, 2009 at 6:05 pmThe junior senator says the President’s budget is a bit of a ruse:
U.S. Senator Bob Corker, a member of the Energy and Banking committees, noted the Obama administration budget proposal released today includes a major “sleight of hand” as it relates to revenues from the administration’s proposed cap-and-trade program.
“President Obama promised a middle class tax cut but what he didn’t tell us was that he would pay for it with a climate tax. His budget will generate $645 billion through a climate tax. I guess his claim on Tuesday night that no one earning under $250,000 would pay more in taxes did not apply to this massive climate tax increase all Americans will pay. This is a major sleight of hand,” said Corker.
(Corker is referring to footnote 3 of “Table S-2. Effect of Budget Proposals on Projected Deficits—Continued.” Page 116 in the attached budget proposal.)
Corker has worked to ensure that whatever Congress implements, be it a cap-and-trade system that acts as a tax or a transparent carbon tax, that 100 percent of the tax revenue is returned to the American people and is not used to increase the size of government.
Maybe It Was Just So Good You Didn’t Realize It
Posted on February 17, 2009 at 8:26 pmRep. Zach Wamp on President Obama’s reaching out to Republicans:
“This was not a drive-by P.R. stunt, and I actually thought it might be,” said Representative Zach Wamp, Republican of Tennessee. “It was a substantive, in-depth discussion with our conference, and he’s very effective.”
“He knows that the debt and the deficit are huge long-term problems as well,” Mr. Wamp said, “and he made a compelling case. He sounded, frankly, a lot like a Republican.”
Cooper’s Comments To Liberadio(!) Continue To Stir Stew
Posted on February 4, 2009 at 2:08 pmPolitico has the developing story of the fallout regarding the remarks made by Rep. Cooper concerning his vote against the House stimulus package:
“Mr. Cooper has clarified those remarks,” she said, motioning to an aide, who handed out copies of Cooper’s statements.
Privately, people close to Pelosi said they weren’t surprised he would take a swipe at her – but said they had received back-channel assurances from the White House that the substance of his remarks was untrue.
And a senior House leadership aide scoffed at Cooper’s claim, suggesting the congressman was merely grandstanding.
“The idea that he didn’t get information or was kept in dark is just not true,” said the aide. “We sent out reams of information. He spoke at one of the caucuses [about the bill].”
Fired back a source close to Cooper: “If he were grandstanding, he could probably pick a more appropriate venue than a small-audience local radio show.”
Cooper has made little secret of his lack of regard for Pelosi’s leadership and has earned the enmity of her loyalists for his propensity to speak candidly.
You gonna take that Mary and Freddie?
UPDATE: Mary Mancini reports that Obama’s spokesman has been asked at a press briefing about the comments.
Rep. Cooper Says You Didn’t Hear What You Heard
Posted on at 11:55 amDavidson County’s congressman denies what you can plainly hear him say in this Liberadio(!) interview, that Obama’s people, in a subtle, unofficial way, sanctioned his vote against the stimulus package in the House:
“At no point did any member of President Obama’s staff encourage me to vote against the House economic recovery bill. I told them I believed that the bill had too much long-term spending and didn’t meet the president’s goal of getting 75% of the money into the economy within 18 months. After the conversation, I felt encouraged that the administration understood those concerns and shared my longstanding commitment to fiscal responsibility.”
Compare that with this:
Well, I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but I actually got some quiet encouragement from the Obama folks for what I’m doing. They know its a messy bill and they wanted a clean bill.
Now, I got in terrible trouble with our leadership because they don’t care what’s in the bill, they just want it pass and they want it to be unanimous. They don’t mind the partisan fighting cause that’s what they are used to. In fact, they’re really good at it. And they’re a little bit worried about what a post-partisan future might look like.
If members actually had to read the bills and figure out whether they are any good or not. We’re just told how to vote. We’re treated like mushrooms most of the time.
SEE ALSO: Cooper continues damage control, belittles radio audience.
Drop The Negro And Get With The Hero
Posted on January 27, 2009 at 11:12 amThe Rev. T.J. Graham, best known in Nashville political circles as the black voice of nativism, is firing back today at those responsible for the creation and dissemination of ‘Barack the Magic Negro‘, a parody sung to the tune of ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ by parodying the parody.
It’s called ‘Barack the Magic Hero’ and its got its share of controversial lines:
“Obama said come join us. Republicans can ride, too. Just look way in the back of the bus we’ve saved a seat for you.”
Read all about it here and listen to the whole song below:
Can We Get To Witness?
Posted on December 20, 2008 at 8:09 pmRep. Jim Cooper allows a few good Nashvillians to answer the above with a resounding, “Yes, we can!”
Thirty-two lucky Nashvillians are headed to Washington to witness the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama after winning a drawing for tickets from U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper. The January 20, 2009 event is expected to draw hundreds of thousands—and perhaps millions—of people to the nation’s capital, including many Middle Tennesseans.
Ticket winners include a Metro public schools employee who plans to take her mother, a public school teacher; a Fisk University honors student; and a mother who plans to take her 10-year-old daughter to witness history in the making.
When called Friday with the news, many winners expressed surprise and excitement. “You have no idea how much this means to me,” said one. “I can’t wait to go. Bless you, bless you, bless you. Merry Christmas!”
The winners were chosen at random. Cooper’s staff drew names on slips of paper from his banjo case.
Cooper said it was a joy for him to get to provide tickets to Middle Tennesseans. “Never in my life have I seen this level of enthusiasm and participation in the political process,” said Cooper. “People want to be a part of this historical occasion, and I’m excited they’ll get to. We’re going to get Barack Obama’s presidency off to a great start.”
SEE ALSO: Dru Fuller
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Top Of The Food Chain
Posted on December 19, 2008 at 8:46 amPete Kotz thinks that Barack Obama may have picked Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inaurgaration so that he can halp fashion a kinder, gentler evangelicalism.
Plus, by elevating Warren’s stature, he’s helping to place the preacher atop the evangelical movement, tactically pushing aside bigger kooks who could cause him problems down the road. Though Warren may have worked against gay freedom in California, he’s the rare evangelical who preaches just as strong against poverty and pollution.
Don’t Mind You Asking And Telling Ain’t Illegal
Posted on December 18, 2008 at 11:31 amBarack Obama is thinking seriously about putting an openly gay man in charge of the Navy:
The secretary’s job is a civilian position, so it would not run afoul of the ban on gays serving in the military, but it would renew focus on the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy as President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office.
Explaining Obama’s Inaugural Invocation Rickroll
Posted on at 9:09 amSo you were expecting a Unitarian Universalist? A woman from some enlightened liberal mainline denomination, perhaps?
For all those upset about Barack Obama picking evangelical pastor Rick Warren to do the inaugural invocation, I have two questions.
One, who exactly did you think we elected President of the United States?
And two, what about the election results leads you to believe that Barack Obama will be looking to satiate your every liberal longing?
First things first, Barack Obama is nothing if not a politician. He may have run as a revolutionary, fresh-faced change agent but he didn’t get where he is by being stupid or naive. He did not get where he is by kowtowing to some narrow liberal ideology. He got where he is by surveying the landscape looking for an in and then proceeding to do what was necessary to stay in.
This is a man who became editor of the Harvard Law review, the first African American in that position, not by playing to his base, not by rewarding those who by necessity have to back him in the end, but by reaching out to those who may oppose him.
Barack Obama got to be the editor of the Harvard Law review by exploiting who he was and who he was imagined to be, sure, but he also reached out to the opposition in order to either gain their support or, just as good, quiet their animus.
Remember who received the payback once Obama was installed as editor at Harvard. It was not the campus liberal and blacks, at least not exclusively, it was the conservative Federalist Society.
This is man with a history of moving away from his base once he has achieved power. Because, in the end, it wasn’t really the activists and strong Democrats who gave him his margins of victory in 2008.
They voted for Mondale, Duakisis, Gore and Kerry, after all. And they all lost.
Obama’s margin of victory came from those independents and Republicans who, after eight years of disgrace, took a chance on the new, fresh-faced Democrat.
Despite the “enlightened” agnostic, humanist views of his more vociferous supporters, this country is still a very religious place and that religion, while certainly not the strident theocratic nonsense of Pat Robertson, is not an unconservative one.
Politics is not just about getting elected and then proceeding to enact and advocate immediately the policy wishes of your base. It is about establishing a mandate. It is about marginalizing your opposition.
Choices like this one will do just that. Rick Warren’s presence at the inauguration will make conservative leaders look out of touch and unhinged every time they try to paint Obama a cultural alien. That has power.
Obama is not a man looking to just get by politically. His 50 state strategy proved that. He doesn’t just seek to govern, he means to rule. To do that, he needs not only his base but the support of those who either did not or reluctantly pushed that button for him. He needs his opposition marginalized and declawed.
This choice does all that symbolically while in real terms does nothing to change policy. It changes only perception.
And interestingly, despite the bile coming from the Left over the decision, it is this traditional religious and, yes, conservative perception that Obama will need if he is ever to change hearts and minds on the issue of gay rights and other social issues.
Just as it took a fervent anti-communist to open the door to China, it will take a man who takes religion seriously to ever transform evangelicalism into a progressive force for change.
Liberals may not like this decision viscerally but after somber reflection they must give credit to Obama for the political masterstroke here and recognize that, in the end, he made the only choice that could ever serve to advance the liberal agenda on the very issues they are now so up in arms about in regard to Rick Warren.
SEE ALSO:
Smijer
Chris Sanders
Southern Beale
Newscoma
Left Wing Cracker
Doug Forrester
Tennessee Guerilla Women
Dan Cleary
Grantham is Talking
Andrew Sullivan
Cutting Edge
Instapundit
Laffing At Obama’s Energy Plans
Posted on at 7:27 amTennessee resident and economist Arthur Laffer weighs in on the impact some of Barack Obama’s ideas could have on the economy:
The platitude of “energy independence” makes zero economic sense. Yes, it’s true that many nations that supply us with oil are run by anti-American governments. But unfortunately embargoes don’t overturn despotic regimes. More often than not they harden them, as in Zimbabwe, North Korea and Cuba. Since the U.S. is so reliant on oil, embargoes will hurt the U.S. as much, if not more, than the countries of OPEC. The issue of how to handle the anti-American nature of oil-exporting nations is not for the Commerce Department, but for the White House, the State Department and perhaps the Department of Defense.
Rep. Steve Cohen Prepares For A New, New Deal
Posted on at 6:54 amObama’s big plans has the Memphis congressman ready to work:
Like other members of Congress, Cohen is preparing for the new administration’s economic stimulus proposal, which has been likened to the public works projects of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal.
“It’s going to mostly be infrastructure, things like highways – maybe (Interstate)-69, maybe the beginning of a new bridge across the Mississippi River, a third bridge … (and) a runway that we’re working on to improve at Memphis International Airport. … That’s the two major infrastructure needs.”
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Obama’s Voice
Posted on at 6:49 amThe Washington Post profiles Barack Obama’s 27 year-old head speechwriter:
“He looks like he’s in college and everybody calls him Favs, so you’re like, ‘This guy can’t be for real, right?’ ” said Ben Rhodes, another Obama speechwriter. “But it doesn’t take long to realize that he’s totally synced up with Obama. . . . He has access to everything and everybody. There’s a lot weighing on his shoulders.”
Especially now, as Favreau and the rest of Obama’s young staffers begin a transition that extends far beyond new job titles. Three months ago, Favreau lived in a group house with six friends in Chicago, where he rarely shaved, never cooked and sometimes stayed up to play video games until early morning. Now, he has transformed into what one friend called a “Washington political force” — a minor celebrity with a down payment on a Dupont Circle condo, whose silly Facebook photos with a Hillary Rodham Clinton cutout created what passes for controversy in Obama’s so far drama-free transition.
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Purpose Driven Homosexuals
Posted on December 17, 2008 at 5:16 pmGay groups are up in arms over Barack Obama’s choice of an evangelical pastor to give the inaugural invocation
Rick Warren has not sat on the sidelines in the fight for basic equality and fairness. In fact, Rev. Warren spoke out vocally in support of Prop 8 in California saying, “there is no need to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2 percent of our population … This is not a political issue — it is a moral issue that God has spoken clearly about.” Furthermore, he continues to misrepresent marriage equality as silencing his religious views. This was a lie during the battle over Proposition 8, and it’s a lie today.
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